The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1887-10-13
WORTH PRESERVING.
A Beautiful Chapter Resembling the Oh
iginaI of the Bible.

A Beautiful Chapter Resembling the Or
iginaI of the Bible.
Over one hundred years ago the fol-
lowing sO-called Genesis 51'' was used
to puzzl Biblical scholars, and to-day,
were it read aloud in any mixed COM
pany, it is questionable if its fraudulent
nature would be discovered. so beauti--
fully is the spirit and language of the
Old Testament initiated:
/. And it came to pass after these things, that
Abraham sat in the door of his tent, about the
going down of the sun.
, And behold man. bowed with age. came
from the way Of the wilderness, leaning on a
stan.
3 And Abraham arose and met him, and said
unto him. Turn in. pray the e, and wash thy
feet, and tarry al night. and thou shalt arise
early on the morrow, and go thy way.
T. But the man said: Nay, for will abide
under this tree
s. And Abraham pressed him greatly; so ho
turned and they went into the tent, and Abra-
ham baked unleavened bread. and tn ey did eat
G. And when Abraham saw that the man
blessed not God. he said unto him Wherefore
dost thou not worship the Most High God, Gre
ator of Heaven and earth:
= And the man answered and said: do not
worship Lne GOu InOu1SptahcSI u ncllucE NO
call upon His name; for hare made to myself a.
God which abideth alway In my house and pro-
yideth me with all things.
s. And Abraham's zeal was kindled against
the man. and he arose and drove him forth with
blows into the wilderness
@. And at midnight God called unto Abraham
saving: Abraham, where is the stranger:
TO- And Abraham answered and said: Lord
he would not worship Thee. neither would he
call upon Thy name, therefore have L driven him
out from before MY face into the wilderness
H. And God said: Have L not borne with him
these hundred ninety and eight years and nour-
ished him. and clothed him, Notwithstanding
his rebellion against me, and couldst not tnou,
that art thyself sinner, bear with him ono
night.
I2. And Abraham said: Let not the anger OF
nvT.ord wax against His servant; 10 have
sinned. forgive me, pray Thee
13 And Abraham arose and went forth into
the wilderness. and sought diligently for the
man. and found him and returned with him TO.
the tent and when he had entreated him kindly.
he sent him away on the morrow with gifts.
"A And God spake again unto Abraham say
ing: For this thy sin shall thy seed be afflicted
four hundred years in q strange land.
Is. But for thy repentance viii deliver them.
and they shall come forth with power. and with
glaGness Of heart. and with much substance.
In 1859, when in England as agent
for the Colony of Pennsylvania, Benja-
min Franklin privately printed this
Chapter" as he always termed it.
Taking only sheet of paper, he kept
it laid in his Bible at the end of Gene
sis, and used to amuse himself by read
ing it aloud to his friends and hearing
them express their surprise that they
had never recollected reading it, and
their openly expressed admiration Of
the moral it carried with it It's origin
is unknown. 1t has been traced back
seven hundred years to Persian poet,
who simply says 1T was SO related.
It must oe very old. .-CAscago Journal